This process of transformation is a process of reflection and change, and a bit like the Teaching as Inquiry cycle. We first need to assess what the needs are. Not just the needs in the context of being a teacher, but as a whole person because being an effective teacher requires balance.
At School
Positives - What's going well for me:
- I have a good rapport with my students and their families.
- I make and share resources with colleagues and get great satisfaction from doing this.
- I read reguarly and keep up-to-date with innovative teaching practices.
- I am a Lead Teacher for Assessment for Learning and ICT.
Negatives - What's not working:
- Planning takes me forever because there always seems to be a better way.
- I change routines too often.
- Behaviour Management practices are not consistent.
- There is a lot of clutter in my classroom. Piles of paper, messy shelves - ugh!
At Home
Positives
- What's going well for me:
- I excercise
regularly - playing netball three times a week.
- I have a good support network in place - fabulous friends and close family (though they are far away).
Negatives - What's
not working:
- I am constantly
thinking about work. I have a family - 2 kids and a husband who deserve
a whole lot more attention from me.
- I often feel
overwhelmed and stressed.
- I don't eat well - I
skip breakfast and often lunch as well.
- My house is totally disorganised.
It's not all bad. Definitely a lot to work on though. One step at a time and I'll get there...
Like anyone starting out in teaching, I wanted to be the best teacher I could be. I wanted to inspire and change lives. But after 3 years teaching, I find myself a bit
bogged down, my motivation waning. I am realising that my ideals are very airy-fairy and that there are a whole lot of structures to be created in the real world before those aims can even begin to take shape.
I have never been the most organised person. I am a thinker, I live in my head - creating, planning, but not quite managing to get to the doing. So I searched the web looking for a programme I could follow. A step-by-step guide to how to make a transformation to becoming organised and effective. There are lots of tips, but I wanted something to organise my thinking. Nothing I came across met my needs. So I decided to start this blog and document my own transformation to being a highly efficient and effective teacher.
My idea is to set a weekly goal to work on. To blog about the resources I have found to support that goal. To document my own thinking and progress. To create an action plan that others could follow if they find themselves heading down the same path as me.
Come along for the ride ....
